Count on Math: Activities for Small Hands and Lively Minds

CIP

Introduction

Around the country, we begin workshops by asking how many people in the

audience grew up liking math. Few raise their hands. When we ask why, the reasons include: It was hard, It never made sense or I had to learn it differently every year.

Most of us learned math by rote memorization and never understood the principles that form the foundation of mathematics. Children who use rote memorization to demonstrate math skills seem to advance flawlessly through the system until they reach about third grade. Then, they suddenly hit a brick wall. For the first time, the adults around them become aware that these children may not understand basic math concepts.

Children who have well developed visual memory skills can easily copy and create patterns without understanding the basic concept of patterns and how they fit into math. Children who have a well developed auditory memory can count to high numbers without understanding what those numbers represent. For all children, even those with good visual and auditory memory skills, it is important that we make sure children develop a conceptual understanding of math. The best way to achieve this goal is to present math in a developmental sequence that allows children to build on their understanding in a logical sequence and to continuously check their understanding.

This book presents a developmental approach to teaching and practicing math skills. It is grounded in the following beliefs:

1. Developmental sequence is fundamental to children’s ability to build

conceptual understanding.

2. Meaningful context is necessary to motivate learning.

3. Hands-on, concrete experiences give children opportunities to experi-

ment with and to internalize new concepts.

4. Consistency in teaching ensures that rules and concepts that children

learn early on will hold true through higher level math.

Developmental Sequence

Math builds on itself. Children take what they learn from one concept and apply it to the next. When they have opportunities to practice math skills in an appropriate developmental sequence, they build a solid conceptual understanding. The chapters in this book present math in a developmental sequence that provides children a natural transition from one concept to the next, preventing gaps in their understanding.

For example,

When children are allowed to explore many objects,

they begin to recognize similarities and differences of objects.

When children can determine similarities and differences,

they can classify objects.

When children can classify objects,

they can see similarities and differences well enough to recognize patterns.

When children can recognize, copy, extend and create patterns,

they can arrange sets in a one-to-one relationship.

When children can match objects one to one,

they can compare sets to determine which have more and which have less.

When children can compare sets,

they can begin to look at the manyness of one set and develop number

concepts.

This developmental sequence provides a conceptual framework that serves as a springboard to developing higher level math skills.

Meaningful Context

Children are more motivated to learn when the material is interesting and meaningful to them. Young children operate in the here and now and are not concerned with the future. When we speak of meaningful context in this book, we are talking about math in the world of the child — counting candles on a birthday cake, sorting and classifying toys, making sure there’s a one-to-one correspondence between children and cookies, and so on. The activities in this book reflect the real world of children.

Hands-on, Concrete Experiences

Young children learn by doing. When children control, manipulate and arrange objects, they internalize concepts, they make sense of the world. All activities in this book focus on hands-on, concrete experience. In every chapter, the sequence of activities is from concrete to symbolic to abstract.

Consistency in Teaching

It’s important when we teach mathematics to young children that we teach rules, concepts and terminology that will always be true — from sorting and classifying to calculus. For example, using the term set to identify members of a group when we’re classifying materials builds a concept that will be used later in numeration. Using the term subtraction instead of take away helps children learn the terminology that will hold true even when they encounter subtraction problems such as: Richele has three marbles, Tiffany has five. How many more marbles does Tiffany have than Richele?

Using This Book

This book is designed for teachers of children three through seven years old.

It is organized in a developmental sequence that will take you through a full year of curriculum, no matter what age child you’re teaching.

The chapters in this book and the activities within each chapter are arranged in a developmental sequence that allows children to build on what they know. Following the sequence ensures that there will be no gaps in instruction. Each chapter introduces the concept with a story, defines the concept, explains how it bridges other math concepts and provides key word vocabulary and suggestions for success.

Because of the wide gaps in ability levels between three, four, five and six year olds, each group will approach the materials in this book at a different pace. The chart below illustrates how children of different ages and in different settings may navigate the material.

Each chapter ends with evaluation criteria. If the children are able to complete all aspects of that evaluation, you can assume they have a conceptual understanding of the information in that chapter and are ready to move on.

The end of a chapter does not mean the end of practice of that concept or skill. Concept development in young children is a continuous, ongoing process. All new concepts and experiences open the opportunity for expansion and often for revision of existing concepts. Once a skill or concept is introduced, it should be reviewed on a regular basis.

Activities

Activities in this book are child-centered and hands-on. They are developmentally sequenced from easiest to most difficult. Each chapter has enough activities to develop basic concepts, but feel free to customize or expand on them to meet the needs of your children.

In Chapters 1 and 2, which deal with free exploration and spatial relationships, the activities are unstructured, encouraging children to explore, experiment and make their own discoveries. The activities in Chapters 3 through 12 require more teacher/child interaction.

All chapters begin with an introductory circle time story followed by activities that allow children to gain conceptual awareness. Activities involving specific skills and concepts in each chapter are grouped under appropriate section heads.

Any Time Ideas

Any Time Ideas capitalize on teachable moments. They provide opportunities for reinforcing skills and concepts in the chapter.

Suggestions for Home Involvement

Each chapter includes a letter to families that explains what children are learning

at school and provides suggestions for home support, including activities and a book list.

Observations and Evaluations

This section provides suggestions for evaluating children’s progress. Children should be able to demonstrate conceptual understanding before moving on to the next chapter.

Resources

A resource section at the end of each chapter lists children’s books, records and songs that support the chapter concepts. All of these provide ways to extend and integrate math concepts into other areas of the curriculum.

Enjoy Count on Math! We wish you and your children an exciting, fun-filled and, most importantly, a successful journey into math.

Chapter1

Exploration of Materials

Definition

Children need an abundance of both discrete and continuous materials to explore the attributes and properties of materials. Discrete materials are those that can be counted (blocks, cookies, children); continuous materials are those that can

be measured (water, sand, playdough); materials can be both discrete and

continuous (gravel, cookies, children). Encourage, motivate and assist children

without interfering with their exploration. The activities included in this chapter appeal to children’s natural sense of curiosity.

Caution: Supervise activities closely when working with young children who still put small objects in their mouths.

Bridge to Other Math Concepts

Children need many opportunities to touch, taste, smell, listen to and visually explore a variety of materials to learn about their multiple attributes or properties. Free exploration helps children see similarities and differences in objects when they begin to practice classification.

Suggestions for Success

• Set up ground rules before you begin. Talk with the children about using and taking care of classroom materials.

• Help the children get into the habit of picking up and putting away whatever they are using before moving on to something else.

• Give children many opportunities to explore and experience the properties of a variety of materials.

• Keep a wide assortment of objects and materials available in learning centers. Rotate and change materials when the children begin to lose interest.

• Encourage the children to explore and play in each of the centers so that they experience a wide variety of activities and discoveries.

• Encourage and model frequent use of vocabulary and other descriptive words. Building vocabulary is the primary goal of this chapter.

Key Words

big/little, fast/slow

few/many

hard/soft

hot/cold

large/small

liquid/solid

rough/smooth

thick/thin

wet/dry

1 Circle Time Story:

The Wonderful Book of Leaves

Materials

assortment of leaves (use leaves as props as you tell the story)

O ne day when Austin was raking the leaves for his mom, he noticed a

big red leaf in the pile. It was the reddest leaf Austin had ever seen.

He stopped raking and picked up the leaf. I’m going to keep this one, thought Austin. He put the leaf in his pocket and started to rake again.

Pretty soon, Austin had a pile of leaves ready to bag. He called to his sister

Tamera to come hold the bag open. When Tamera came to help, she noticed a huge leaf right on top of the pile. Look, Austin, she said. This is the biggest leaf I’ve ever seen.

Look at mine, Austin said, as he took the red leaf out of his pocket.

Wow, that is neat! said Tamera.

I have an idea, said Austin. "Let’s see how many different kinds of leaves we

can find."

Austin and Tamera began to dig through the pile of leaves. They found yellow leaves, orange leaves, brown leaves and leaves that were a mixture of green and yellow. They found big leaves and small leaves; dry, stiff leaves and soft leaves. They found leaves with smooth edges and leaves with jagged edges.

I never knew there were so many different kinds of leaves, said Tamera.

Me either, said Austin. Let’s go show Mom.

When Austin and Tamera showed the leaves to their mother, they described each one carefully. This one is big, yellow, soft and jagged around the edges. This one is small and brown.

After the children had described each leaf, their mother made a great suggestion. She said she thought it would be a good idea if the children made a book of leaves. Austin and Tamera were delighted.

They got paper, glue, bags and crayons and created Austin’s and Tamera’s Book of Autumn Leaves.

Materials for Story Extension

six ziplock bags

six pieces of poster board cut to fit inside the bags

stapler and staples

colored tape

glue

crayons

assortment of leaves

Activity

Make a Class Book of Autumn Leaves. Help the children stack the ziplock bags and staple them together at the bottom (the unzippered side). Cover the staples with plastic tape. Invite children to select a leaf and glue it on a piece of the poster board. Ask the children to describe the leaf. Transcribe their description on the poster board. Encourage the children to turn the poster board over and repeat the process. Slip the poster board inside one of the ziplock bags and zip it closed. Repeat the activity until all bags are filled.

2 Sand Table Fun

Materials

sand table or large tub of sand

strainers, funnels, scoops, buckets, spoons, bowls, nesting measuring cups

Activity

Put a variety of containers and utensils in the sand table. Encourage children to explore the characteristics of the sand using the utensils.

3 Junk Box Exploration

Materials

shoe boxes

buttons, jar lids, keys, milk jug lids, corks, spools and other interesting things

Activity

Create junk boxes for each type of material you collect. Keep all the junk boxes within easy reach for the children. Encourage children to explore the junk.

4 Playdough Squeeze

Materials

1 cup flour

1/2 cup salt

1 cup water

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

food coloring

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

bowl and mixing spoon

Activity

Invite the children to help mix flour, salt, water, oil, cream of tartar and food coloring in the bowl to make playdough. Then let the children play with it. Model rolling, pounding, stretching and squeezing, then leave the children to their own work. As the children work, ask them to describe the characteristics of the dough.

5 Textured Playdough

Materials

playdough

sand

sawdust

small pebbles

Activity

Make a large batch of playdough with the children and divide it into four portions. Mix sand in one portion, sawdust in another and small pebbles in another. Leave one portion smooth. Encourage the children to describe the different textures as they mold and play with the different portions.

6 Balancing Act

Materials

balance scale

pieces from junk boxes

playdough

manipulatives

Activity

Provide a balance scale for weighing junk materials, playdough and manipulatives.

7 Tactile Exploration

Materials

sand table or large tub of sand

packing peanuts, sawdust or gravel

assorted containers and utensils

Activity

Replace the contents of the sand table with sawdust, gravel or packing peanuts. Encourage children to explore the new material.

8 Water Play

Materials

water table

assorted containers and utensils